The charge port for plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles is typically externally mounted, thereby allowing easy access and the ability to lock the passenger compartment while the vehicle is being charged. A charge port door, similar to the fuel filler door on a conventional vehicle, is used to protect the charge port from the weather as well as possible tampering. In general, the same type of door latch and release assemblies are used for both charge port and fuel filler doors.
A variety of different mechanisms have been used to hold the door of a conventional vehicle in a closed position, regardless of whether the door is covering a fuel port or a charge port. Often the door is spring loaded toward an open position, thus causing the door to open, or at least partially open, when the latch is released. U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,418 discloses one type of latching mechanism in which a spring loaded latch is designed to engage a notch in the spring loaded door. The spring loaded latch can be pulled, thus releasing the door, using a remote release device mounted in the passenger cabin or trunk. The release device is coupled to the spring loaded latch via a cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,678 discloses an alternate release system for use with a spring loaded latch and a spring loaded door. As disclosed, the system uses a compact solenoid assembly, thus simplifying remote activation. The disclosed solenoid assembly is self-compensating in order to reduce the required armature travel distance and thus the size of the solenoid, thereby allowing a reduction in the size, weight and cost of the assembly.
In order to further reduce cost while retaining the style advantages of a flat hidden door with no visible finger opening, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,638 discloses a fuel door assembly with a push-push lock that eliminates the need for either a solenoid or cable remote latching mechanism. The disclosed push-push lock has two positions; a first position that holds the door in a completely closed position and a second position that holds the door in a partially open position, thereby allowing the door edge to be grasped and manually opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,633 discloses an alternate fuel filler door actuator that utilizes a motor and gear train to move the door latch between the locked and unlocked positions. Although the primary actuation system is motorized, the use of a manual override cable to manually move the latch from the locked to unlocked positions is also described.
The present invention provides an alternate door latching system that is compact, low power and easily integrated with a door position sensor.